Fantasy sports: Might be worth taking a chance on Bucs' Mike Glennon

Don't look now, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won two games in a row. Well, you can look if you want, but be forewarned that it still isn't that impressive.

It isn't as if the Bucs toppled any monster, but they showed some grit in pushing to a 22-19 defeat of the Dolphins and then some explosiveness in a 41-28 downing of the Falcons last weekend. The team is doing it without starting running back Doug Martin (injured reserve, torn labrum), and then lost backup back Mike James (fractured ankle) against Miami and is helmed by rookie quarterback Mike Glennon.

Maybe it's time we started paying some attention to Glennon, then.

Tampa gave up on the Josh Freeman experience in the first month of the season, handing things to Glennon while releasing their incumbent starting QB. The Tampa Bay powers that be must have had a great deal of faith in their rookie, too, for they let him throw the ball more than 40 times a game his first four times out.

Not that his passing turned the team's fortunes around, though, for that resulted in losses to the Cardinals, Eagles, Falcons and Panthers.

The Bucs have since pulled back on the arm-slinging ways, with Glennon throwing no more than 23 times the last three games, going 2-1 in that stretch (see chart). Even that one loss is a more impressive one, though, as Tampa took the NFC-leading Seahawks to overtime.

Glennon has not gained much attention through either phase. The Bucs haven't been doing enough as a team to deserve notice, and their QB has not thrown for more than 300 yards or a pair of touchdowns in any game. He is, however, becoming very steady and has thrown 11 touchdowns with just four interceptions.

To make those numbers look a little better, note that two of those interceptions came in Glennon's first game of the season. He has thrown only two more over the last six games. Tom Brady has thrown five interceptions over his last six games and Peyton Manning has put it in opponents' hands six times over that stretch.

Glennon doesn't appear poised to join those two stars in the upper echelon yet, especially since receiver Vincent Jackson (56 catches, 827 yards, 5 TDs) is the only real weapon he has at his disposal.

Oh yeah, that's right, in addition to losing Martin and then James, Glennon's No. 2 receiver Mike Williams (22 catches, 216 yards, 2 TDs in six games) and his torn hamstring are also sitting out the rest of the season.

The rookie QB is then a bit (forgive me) hamstrung himself, but showing improvement through adversity may be saying something about Glennon, and the Bucs in general, making him worth looking into in keeper leagues or keeping in mind as a sleeper pick for next season.

Injury watch

Watching injury and practice reports is one of the traditions involved in being a fantasy football owner. We seem to like information that can drive us into a spiral of indecision without offering a way out.

It makes some sense to do this, for one needs a backup plan if a starting player won't take the field. It accomplishes less, though, when the player you are worrying over has a late game. The fantasy gods don't always see fit to give our questionable players 1 p.m. starting times that come with enough warning to allow us to weigh alternative strategies.

There are a couple tight end situations this weekend that put one in the tough spot of having to wait for news on starters. The Broncos play in the late game tonight against the Patriots after having filled the same prime-time slot last week against the Chiefs.

That was when tight end Julius Thomas avoided serious injury when he tweaked his knee, but he has been left with enough soreness to limit him in practice.

Thomas has caught 45 passes for 10 TDs in the Broncos high-octane offense, but Peyton Manning has no clear backup option at the tight end spot.

Jacob Tamme (3 receptions, 27 yards), Joel Dreessen (3, 13) and Virgil Green (4, 17) have all been afterthoughts and Dreessen is even battling knee issues of his own.

Sometimes an owner with a Sunday-night question mark can try to get a Monday-night sure thing. Thomas's owners may need to take a chance on stashing one of the Broncos' backups instead, though, because the only Monda- night tight end possibly available also has uncertain status.

The Redskins' Jordan Reed is having a bit of a surprise season, also much like Thomas, catching 45 passes for 499 yards, but now is battling through a concussion.

At least the backup slot in Washington is a little more certain with Logan Paulsen (13 receptions, 122 yards), but he doesn't provide much that will excite anyone.

So if you already have a decent backup playing an early game today, the best, or at least safest, play may be going with him.

And then just hope your other injured guy stays that way so his performance can't haunt you.